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The American robin is active mostly during the day and assembles in large flocks at night. Its diet consists of beetle grubs, earthworms, and caterpillars, fruits, and berries. It is one of the earliest bird species to lay eggs, beginning to breed shortly after returning to its summer range from its winter range. Its nest consists of long coarse grass, twigs, paper, and feathers, and is smeared with mud and often cushioned with grass or other soft materials. It is among the first birds to sing at dawn, and its song consists of several discrete units that are repeated.

This folk art bird carving of an American Robin is carved from Basswood. I used milk paints, various stains, and techniques to age the carving.

The Cardinal is the state bird of Indiana and six other states: Illinois, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia. Northern Cardinals breed 2-3 times each season. The female builds the nest and tends to the hatchlings for about 10 days while the male brings food. The male then takes over the care of this first brood while the female moves on to a new nest and lays a second clutch of eggs.

Cardinals are one of my favorite birds to carve. They are distinct and easy to recognize. This folk art bird carving of a Female Cardinal is carved from Basswood. I used milk paints, various stains, and techniques to age the carving. I photographed this carving last Fall in different settings and natural lighting conditions.

I’ve been working on a few folk art Robins over the last month. Robins are the quintessential early bird, and are common sights on lawns across North America. After a good rain or lawn mowing, you will often see them tugging earthworms out of the ground. Robins are popular birds for their warm orange breast, cheerily cheer-up cheerio song, and early appearance at the end of winter. Robins are familiar town and city birds, and equally at home in wilder areas, such as mountain forests and the Alaskan wilderness.

These folk art bird carvings of a Robins are carved from Basswood. I used milk paints, various stains, and techniques to age the carving.

I’ve been working on a few folk art Cardinals over the last month, both male and female. In 1933, the Indiana General Assembly chose the Cardinal to be the state bird of Indiana. Also known as the Redbird, the cardinal is the state bird of seven states: Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia. The bright red males are easily spotted, especially in the winter. Female cardinals are grayish-green with a dusty red crest. Cardinals build nest in bushes and brushy areas and are frequent visitors to bird feeders.

This folk art bird carving of a Cardinal is carved from Basswood. I used milk paints, various stains, and techniques to age the carving.

About 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is water-covered, and the oceans hold about 96.5 percent of all Earth’s water. Some variation of the Gull seems to exist everywhere in the world. My folk art bird carving is more based on the Herring Gull and is abundant in the Winter months in the southern parts of the United States. Herring Gulls are year-round in the Michigan area, and generally bread in the Canadian region.

This folk art bird carving of a Herring Gull is carved from Basswood. I used milk paints, various stains, and techniques to age the carving.